Aerosol dispenser with plastic propellant cartridge

ABSTRACT

An aerosol-type dispenser for fluent products. A cap for a container for a fluent product has a plug valve assembly depending from the undersurface of said cap. The plug valve assembly has a depending flange and propellant cartridge of a different plastic material than said depending flange and has the open end thereof joined to the bottom of said flange with the plug valve assembly sealing the said open end of said propellant cartridge.

llnited States Patent Edward II. Champagne Bridgeport, Conn.

June 12, 1969 Oct. 12, 1971 Geigy Chemical Corporation Greenhurgh, NY.

Inventor Appl. No. Filed Patented Assignee AEROSOL DISPENSER WITII PLASTIC PEOPELLANT CARTRIDGE 2 Claims, 5 Drawing Figs.

U.S. Cl ZZZ/402.24 Int. Cl B6501 83/00 lField of Search 222/ l 93,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,176,889 4/1965 Potapenko et al 222/453 X 3,451,596 6/1969 Marand 222/193 Primary Examiner-Robert B. Reeves Assistant Examiner-John P. Shannon, Jr. Attorney-Wenderoth, Lind & Ponack ABSTRACT: An aerosol-type dispenser for fluent products. A cap for a container for a fluent product has a plug valve assembly depending from the undersurface of said cap. The plug valve assembly has a depending flange and propellant cartridge of a different plastic material than said depending flange and has the open end thereof joined to the bottom of said flange with the plug valve assembly sealing the said open end of said propellant cartridge.

PATE'N TEB mm 21ml sum 1 0F 2 FIG.!

FIGZ

INVENTOR EDWARD R. CHAMPAGNE ATTORNEYS AEROSOL DISPENSER WI'I'II PLASTIC TkflPElLMINT CARTRIDGE.

This invention relates to an aerosol dispenser, and more particularly relates to an aerosol dispenser of the type in which the product to be dispensed is in an outer product container separate from the propellant, the propellant is contained in an inner cartridge within the outer container.

I-Ierctofore there have been proposals for providing such an aerosol dispenser having a plug valve assembly in which an inner cartridge, for example of a metal material, is attached to a body depending from a cap for the outer or product container, which body contains the valve mechanism which, during dispensing, controls the flow of the propellant and the product to be dispensed. The most practical manner of attaching such a propellant cartridge to this body has been by bending over the metal at the upper edge of the cartridge around a flange depending from the bottom of the body with a seal being positioned between the cartridge and the flange. A retaining ring is also provided, the outer peripheral edge of which is held between the top of the propellant cartridge and the bottom of the flange by the bent over upper edge of the cartridge. The retaining ring has an inner edge pressing a highpressure gasket against the bottom of the body, and a valve stem having a bore therein is movable through the high-pressure gasket and the bore is obturated by the gasket.

The cap, depending plug valve assembly, and various valve parts have heretofore been made of plastic. It would be desirabie in order to eliminate corrosion of the propellant cartridge and also reduce the cost of the apparatus to provide plastic propellant cartridges which are resistant to corrosion by the propellant, i.e. are inert to the propellant, and which are also impervious to the propellant so that it cannot escape.

Plastics are known which are inert to and impervious to the propellants commonly used in such aerosol dispensers, and which could be formed into satisfactory containers for liquid propellant under high pressure.

The cap, depending plug valve assembly, and various valve parts have heretofore been made of a plastic which is easily molded to close tolerances, but which is not necessarily inert to and impervious to propellant. Plastics of this type are different from the type of plastic which would be suitable for propellant cartridges. There is, therefore, a problem in joining the propellant cartridge to the valve body of the plug valve assembly, for example by welding, because of the fact that the plastics used are different and cannot be joined by such plastic joining processes.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a construction for an aerosol dispenser of this type in which the above problems are overcome.

This object is accomplished by providing an aerosol dispenser assembly in which the valve body of the plug valve assembly is made of one type of plastic and the propellant cartridge is made of a different and propellant inert and impervi ous pmtic material, and these parts are secured together at the top of the propellant cartridge by a metal clamping band bent around a laterally extending flange at the top of the propellant cartridge and a matching laterally extending flange at the bottom of the valve body.

This invention will now be described in connection with the accompanying drawings, showing one embodiment of an aerosol dispenser according to the present invention, and in which:

FIG. I is a sectional elevation view of the aerosol dispenser according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged partial sectional view of the connection between the plug valve assembly and the plastic propellant cartridge according to the invention;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 with the parts in one state of assembly; and

FIGS. 3 and 5 are views similar to FIG. 2 showing further embodiments of the dispenser.

The aerosol dispenser according to the invention comprises an outer container I for containing a product to be dispensed, which product is in a fluent form, for example, liquid or a finely divided powder. A cap 3 is mounted on the outer container I at the upper edge 3 of the outer container. The cap 3 has an aperture 3a in the center thereof, through which a valve stem 5, to be described below, projects.

Depending from the under surface of the cap 3 is an annular ring 6. Positioned below the cap 3 is a plug valve assembly having a valve body 7 with a hollow interior 8, and having an opening through the bottom thereof. The top of the valve body 7 is secured to the annular ring by sonic or spin welding or some other conventional plastic joining process.

Depending from the valve body 7 is: a depending annular flange II which has on the lower end thereof a laterally extending flange I2.

Below the depending annular flange II is a container in the form of a propellant cartridge I3 having therein a propellant (not shown) which normally is held therein under high pressure in liquid form. The upper edge of the propellant cartridge I3 has a laterally outwardly extending flange 35 thereon and an upwardly extending flange 36 having an inside diameter the same as the outside diameter of the laterally outwardly extending flange I2 on the downwardly extending flange II, so that the outwardly extending flange I2 just fits within the upwardly extending flange 36. The inside diameter of the cartridge I3 is preferably the same as the outside diameter of an annular projection I2 on the bottom of the depending flange II. This permits quick and accurate aligning of the valve body 7 and the propellant cartridge I3.

In the embodiment shown, a sealing gasket 37 is positioned between the top of the flange 35 and the bottom of the flange I2.

Positioned around the flanges I2 and 35 is an annular clamping band 33 having an upper portion engaged over the top of the flange I2 and a lower portion engaged under the bottom of flange 35, the clamping band 38 clamping the depending flange II to the top of the cartridge I3 so that the upper end of the upwardly extending flange 36 is level with the top of flange I2 and the gasket 37 is clamped tightly between the flanges I2 and 35.

The propellant cartridge I3 is made of a plastic material which is impervious to and inert to the propellant.

The cap 3, the depending annular ring 6, and the valve body 7, on the other hand, are made of a diflerent plastic material.

In order to attach the cartridge I3 to the valve body depending from the cap 3, the gasket 37 is first placed on the top of the flange 35, and the plug valve assembly is brought down until the bottom of the flange I2 is against the top of the gasket 37. An annular member having a cross section in the form of an angle is then placed around the annular flange II with the inwardly extending flange portion resting on the top of the flange I2. At this point the parts are in the positions shown in FIG. 3. Thereafier, the cartridge I3 and annular flange II are urged toward each other and the lower end of the annular member is bent under the lower surface of the flange 35, thus clamping the parts in the FIG. 2 position.

The most suitable material for the clamping band is metal, which can be relatively easily bent, yet which will retain its shape after being bent and will hold the parts in the clamped positions.

Clamped between an annular crown 7a around the top of the body 7 and a downwardly extending projection 3b around the opening 30 in the cap 3 is a ring gasket I5 which acts as a low-pressure obturator for the dispensed material and a lowpressure obturator for the admission of air to the product container I from the outside.

The valve stem 5 extends through the hollow interior 8 and the opening 3a in the cap 3 opens into the hollow interior 8. 5 valve actuator in the form of a pushbutton I6 is mounted on the top end of valve stem 5, and contains a nonle insert I7 having a Venturi-type spray nozzle therein. Nozzle insert I7 is set into a cavity in the pushbutton 16. An opening 18 is provided in the bottom of body 7 between the hollow interior 8 and a high-pressure gasket 9 is positioned in the bottom of the hollow interior 3 and is held in position by the retaining ring ha.

Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 4, gasket 9 is positioned in a downwardly open recess 40 and a retaining ring 41 is provided which extends from the top of the propellant cartridge 13 to the bottom of valve body 7 for holding a high-pressure gasket in position therein. The retaining ring 41 is integrally formed with the top of the propellant cartridge 13, thus eliminating the necessity for a sealing means at this point to prevent escape of propellant. Moreover, it is also possible to make the retaining ring as a separate member and integrally secure it, such as by sonic welding or spin welding to the top of the propellant cartridge 13. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 5, it is possible to clamp the retaining ring 41a between the top of the propellant cartridge 13 and the bottom of the flange 11. in such a case it will be necessary to have a gasket 42 between the retaining ring 41a and the top of the cartridge 13.

A shoulder 19 on valve stern is urged upwardly by a spring 20 around the valve stem 5. The lower end of spring 20 rests against the retaining ring 9a in the embodiment of FIGS. 1-3. The spring acts to press the shoulder 19 upwardly so that the flexible lip of gasket is held between a truncated coneshaped seat on shoulder 19, cambered as shown, and the an- ,nular projection 3b around the edge of opening 3a in cap 3.

This provides a tight closure of the hollow interior 8 with respect to opening 3a and a tight closure of a passage 7b which extends through annular ring 6 into the space beneath cap 3. In the raised position shown in the figure, there is a space between the inner edge of gasket 15 and the tapered lower end of a depending wall 23 on the pushbutton. This opens into the channels 24 described hereinafter.

Pushbutton 16, which caps valve stem 5, has two coaxial sockets at the base thereof: an outer socket defined by depending wall 23 and which fits tightly around valve stem 5, and an inner socket which receives the reduced diameter upper end 5a of stem 5. The extent to which the sockets can be forced along the valve stem 5 is limited by an annular shoulder 5c at the top of fins 25 defining between them channels 24, along the outside of the stem 5. The channels open out of the stem through apertures 26.

Into the hollow interior 8 opens the upper end of dip tube 27, force-fitted in a bore 27a in a body 7 for conducting material to be dispensed into the hollow interior 8.

Valve stem 5 is made in one piece, for example, by molding, and has an axial bore 28 with a conical head 29 closing the lower end thereof.

At the lower end of the stem 5 is a neck portion in which is a plurality of lateral openings 30 which, when the valve stem is in the raised position, are obturated by the inner peripheral edge of gasket 9. in the lowered position of the stem 5, the gasket 9 flexes to open openings 30 to admit propellant to the axial bore 28.

In operation, when the parts of the dispenser are in the positions as shown in the figure, the high-pressure gasket 9 obturates the openings 30 into the bore 28 of the stem, thus blocking flow of propellant gas to the nozzle in the nozzle insert 17. At the same time, the gasket 15 obturates the opening between the annular crown 7a and the shoulder 19 on the valve stem 5, thus sealing off the hollow interior 8 of the body 7 from the openings 26 to the channels 24 and from opening 30 in the cap. The gasket 15 also seals off the passage 7b in the annular ring 6, thus sealing off the interior of the product container 1 from the outside atmosphere.

In this condition, the joint between the cartridge 13 and the depending flange l2 completely seals off the cartridge 13 from the product container 1 at this point.

When the valve stem is depressed, the gaskets 9 and 15 are flexed to admit propellant through the openings 30 into the bore 28 in the stem 5. This passes through the nozzle in the nozzle insert 17 and aspirates the product to be dispensed through the dip tube 27, hollow interior 8, past the now downwardly flexed gasket 15 and into the openings 26 and up the channels 24 to the space around the neck of the nozzle. At the same time, air is admitted to the interior of the product container 1 through the opening 3a in the cap 3, beneath the annular projection 3 b past the gasket 15 which is flexed away from the annular pro ection 3b, and through the passage 7 This will equalize the pressure within the product container 1.

There has thus been provided an assembly for an aerosol dispenser in which the propellant cartridge is of a plastic material and is joined to the valve body of the plug valve assembly in a simple and efficient manner. Because the plastic of the cartridge is inert to the propellant, the cartridge does not corrode, and because it is impervious to the propellant, the propellant cannot escape. The cost of the assembly is also reduced due to the fact that only plastic is used for the major parts.

What is claimed is:

1. An aerosol dispenser assembly comprising a plug valve assembly having a plastic material valve body having a laterally extending flange extending outwardly therefrom, a container of plastic material having a laterally extending flange at the top thereof extending outwardly therefrom and an upwardly extending flange on the outer periphery of said laterally extending container flange, the inside diameter of said upwardly extending flange being substantially the same as the outside diameter of said laterally extending valve body flange, a retaining ring integral with said laterally extending container flange and extending inwardly and upwardly therefrom and adapted to engage a valve stem sealing gasket in a recess in the bottom of said valve body, and an annular clamping band around said flanges and engaging the top of said laterally extending valve body flange and engaging the bottom of said laterally extending container flange and holding said container tightly in engagement with said valve body with said plug valve assembly closing the top of said container.

2. An aerosol dispenser assembly comprising a plug valve assembly having a plastic material valve body having a laterally extending flange extending outwardly therefrom, a container of plastic material having a laterally extending flange at the top thereof extending outwardly therefrom and an upwardly extending flange on the outer periphery of said laterally extending container flange, the inside diameter of said upwardly extending flange being substantially the same as the outside diameter of said laterally extending valve body flange, a retaining ring having an outer peripheral edge engaged between said laterally extending flanges and extending inwardly and upwardly therefrom and adapted to engage a valve stem sealing gasket in a recess in the bottom of said valve body, and an annular clamping band around said flanges and engaging the top of said laterally extending valve body flange and engaging the bottom of said laterally extending container flange and holding said container tightly in engagement with said valve body with said plug valve assembly closing the top of said container. 

1. An aerosol dispenser assembly comprising a plug valve assembly having a plastic material valve body having a laterally extending flange extending outwardly therefrom, a container of plastic material having a laterally extending flange at the top thereof extending outwardly therefrom and an upwardly extending flange on the outer periphery of said laterally extending container flange, the inside diameter of said upwardly extending flange being substantially the same as the outside diameter of said laterally extending valve body flange, a retaining ring integral with said laterally extending container flange and extending inwardly and upwardly therefrom and adapted to engage a valve stem sealing gasket in a recess in the bottom of said valve body, and an annular clamping band around said flanges and engaging the top of said laterally extending valve body flange and engaging the bottom of said laterally extending container flange and holding said container tightly in engagement with said valve body with said plug valve assembly closing the top of said container.
 2. An aerosol dispenser assembly comprising a plug valve assembly having a plastic material valve body having a laterally extending flange extending outwardly therefrom, a container of plastic material having a laterally extending flange at the top thereof extending outwardly therefrom and an upwardly extending flange on the outer periphery of said laterally extending container flange, the inside diameter of said upwardly extending flange being substantially the same as the outside diameter of said laterally extending valve body flange, a retaining Ring having an outer peripheral edge engaged between said laterally extending flanges and extending inwardly and upwardly therefrom and adapted to engage a valve stem sealing gasket in a recess in the bottom of said valve body, and an annular clamping band around said flanges and engaging the top of said laterally extending valve body flange and engaging the bottom of said laterally extending container flange and holding said container tightly in engagement with said valve body with said plug valve assembly closing the top of said container. 